Structural element for composable toy constructions

ABSTRACT

A structural element for composable toy constructions, comprising an elongated body with spaced apart land portions and recessed portions therebetween. The elongated body comprises further a series of apertures spaced apart over the length of the elongated body and adapted to receive portions of the elongated body. The element may serve as a supporting stick for ice cream.

United States Patent 1 91 1111 3,882,630 Bianco May 13, 1975 [54] STRUCTURAL ELEMENT FOR 3,007,279 11/1961 Korchak 46/28 COMPOSABLE TOY CONSTRUCTIONS 3,663,717 5/1972 Coster 46/28 X 3,748,778 7/1973 Ellles et a1. 46/28 [75] Inventor: Natale Bianco, Zuccarello, ltaly FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [73] Assgnem BmbmMatc SPA-1 Mllan Italy 1,491,466 7/1967 France 46/25 [22] Filed: Sept. 10, 1973 Primary Examiner-1 Barry Shay [21] Appl' 395878 Attorney, Agent, or FirmDr. G. Modiano; Dr. A.

Josif [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Sept. 14, 1972 Italy 1. 23101 72 [57] ABSTRACT A structural element for composable toy construc- [52] US. Cl. 46/28; 46/26; 426/134 tions, comprising an elongated body with spaced apart [51] Int. Cl A63h 33/08 land portions and recessed portions therebetween. [58] Field of Search 46/27, 28, 29; 426/91, The elongated body comprises further a series of aper- 426/134, 110; 273/160 tures spaced apart over the length of the elongated body and adapted to receive portions of the elongated [56] References Cited body. The element may serve as a supporting stick for UNITED STATES PATENTS Ice cream- 2,712,200 7/1955 Dearling 46/28 2 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures STRUCTURAL ELEMENT FOR COMPOSABLE TOY CONSTRUCTIONS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to composable structural elements for toy constructions.

Known structural elements for toy constructions have engagement means on some of their surfaces allowing a snap engagement so as to join together more of such elements and obtain a desired toy construction.

Such known structural elements can be joined to each other only in a limited number of mutual positions of the elements with respect to each other so that the number of possible constructional combinations is limited. Furthermore, the configuration of such known elements has limitations in respect to the constructional combinations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the invention is to provide a structural element for composable toy constructions adapted to increase the number of mutual positions in which a plurality of elements may be joined together thereby increasing the number of constructional combinations.

Another object is to render the structural element dimensionally transformable and of modular character.

Another object if to make it of an overall simple configuration, light in weight and of reduced manufacturing costs, durable and reliable in use.

According to the invention there is provided a structural element for composable toy constructions, comprising an elongated body characterized in that the body has spaced apart land portions defining a first transverse dimension of the element and arranged in regular intervals over the length of the elongated body and recessed portions therebetween defining a second transverse dimension of the element, the land portions each having a first longitudinal extension thereof and the recessed portions each having a second longitudinal extension thereof, the elongated body further comprising a series of apertures spaced apart over the length of the elongated body, said apertures each having a longitudinal span corresponding to said first transverse dimension, said apertures having in at least one intermediate portion thereof a transverse span corresponding to said second transverse dimension.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING An embodiment of the invention is shown by way of example in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. I shows a perspective view of the structural element;

FIG. 2 shows a section according to IllI of FIG. 1 in an enlarged scale;

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 show examples of structural elements obtained by transformation from the basic structural element shown in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 show some examples of constructional compositions obtainable by the structural element.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With reference to the drawing, the structural element generally indicated at 1, comprises a flat elongated body 2 having spaced apart land portions 3, defining a first transverse dimension A of the element. The land portions 3 are arranged at regular intervals of the apertures 5 spaced apart from each other over the length of the elongated body 2. The apertures have a longitudinal span E, the magnitude of which is equal to the magnitude of the first transverse dimension A. The apertures 5 each have in an intermediate portion at least one transverse span F, the magnitude of which is equal to the magnitude of said second transverse dimension B. It will be appreciated that the apertures 5 are formed of two crossing longitudinal and transverse slots, numbered 6 and 7 respectively, and it will be noted that the flat elongated body 2 has a thickness G which corresponds to the gap H of the slots 6 and 7, so that the body 2 may be inserted into the slot 6. It will be further noted that the cross-like aperture 5 is located approxiamtely in the center of each of the land portions 3. It will be further noted that the magnitudes of the second transverse dimension B, the first longitudinal extension C, the transverse span F and the second longitudinal extension D are equal with respect to each other. It will be further noted that the first transverse dimension A and the longitudinal span E are also equal in magnitude. Through such an arrangement a plurality of structural elements may not only be joined together by side by side positioning, so that the lands 3 of one element are inserted in the recesses 4 of the other elements, but the joining of the elements may be in positions transverse to each other and even the elements may intersect each other, since the gap H of the slots correspond to the thickness G of the elongated body and the span E corresponds to the first transverse dimensions A of the elongated body 2. In this way the mutually intersecting elements may form cross-pieces or bridges of the composable toy construction. Furthermore, the lateral joining of the elements may be effected with the main surfaces of the flat body 2 arranged perpendicular to each other.

It will be appreciated that the elongated flat body 2 is preferably made of resilient plastic material. It will be further appreciated that one end of the structural element terminates with its aperture open as shown at the right end of FIG. 1, whereas the opposite end terminates with the free recessed portion, as shown at the left end of FIG. 1. In this way, opposite ends of structural elements may be joined together in an aligned relationship, thereby extending the length of the structural element.

It will be further noted that the structural element presents at regular intervals cross-sections with breakoff notches 8, which may be on one side only or on both sides of the element. The break-off notches may be arranged either at the recessed portion of the element 1 or at the land portions. It is thereby possible to breakoff easily the structural element at desired points, thereby obtaining modular units in order to increase the possible constructional combinations.

The structural element may be also used as a supporting rod or core for instance for ice-cream sticks, which after the consumption of the ice-cream may be used as a structural element for toy constructions.

I claim:

1. A structural elementifor composable toy constructions, comprising a substantially flat elongated body having spaced apart land portions defining a first transverse dimension of the element and arranged in regular intervals over the length of the elongated body and recessed portions therebetween defining a second transverse dimension of the element, the land portions each having a first longitudinal extension thereof and the recessed portions each having a second longitudinal extension thereof, the elongated body further comprising a number of cross-shaped apertures spaced apart over the length of the elongated body and each defined by a longitudinal and a transverse slot, said cross-shaped apertures each having a longitudinal span having a magnitude equal to said first transverse dimension and a transverse span having a magnitude equal to said second transverse dimension, said first longitudinal extension being equal to saidtransverse span and said second w longitudinal extension being equal to said second transverse dimension.

extension, said second longitudinal extension, said transverse span and said second transverse dimension are all equal to each other, the magnitude of said first transverse dimension beingequal to the magnitude of 1 said longitudinal span. 

1. A structural element for composable toy constructions, comprising a substantially flat elongated body having spaced apart land portions defining a first transverse dimension of the element and arranged in regular intervals over the length of the elongated body and recessed portions therebetween defining a second transverse dimension of the element, the land portions each having a first longitudinal extension thereof and the recessed portions each having a second longitudinal extension thereof, the elongated body further comprising a number of crossshaped aperTures spaced apart over the length of the elongated body and each defined by a longitudinal and a transverse slot, said cross-shaped apertures each having a longitudinal span having a magnitude equal to said first transverse dimension and a transverse span having a magnitude equal to said second transverse dimension, said first longitudinal extension being equal to said transverse span and said second longitudinal extension being equal to said second transverse dimension.
 2. A structural element according to claim 1, wherein said longitudinal and transverse slot each define a gap corresponding to the thickness of said elongated body, one of the slots being a longitudinal slot corresponding to said longitudinal span and the other slot being a transverse slot corresponding to said transverse span, and wherein the magnitudes of said first longitudinal extension, said second longitudinal extension, said transverse span and said second transverse dimension are all equal to each other, the magnitude of said first transverse dimension being equal to the magnitude of said longitudinal span. 